Christian History · Timeline

The Reformation Era

The Reformation era, roughly 1500 to 1650, reshaped Western Christianity. It opened in 1517 when Martin Luther protested the sale of indulgences and, carried by the printing press, sparked a movement whose watchword was grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. It gave rise to the Protestant churches, spurred the Catholic reform of Trent, produced the King James Bible, and, tragically, wars of religion that faithful Christians grieve to this day.

At its heart the Reformation was not about politics but about a rediscovery: that we are made right with God as a free gift, received by faith, not earned. That good news, which is really just the gospel itself, spread with astonishing speed once the printing press could carry it. Within a generation Luther, Calvin, the Anabaptists, and the English reformers had reshaped the map of the church.

This era is told fairly here, as shared heritage and shared grief. It brought real renewal and real division, genuine recovery of the gospel and genuine violence on many sides. Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants still differ on important questions, yet confess together one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Ephesians 4:5).

The timeline

• AD 1517
  Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses
  Martin Luther protests the sale of indulgences and, carried by the printing press, ignites the Reformation.
• 1525 to 1526
  The Anabaptists and Tyndale’s New Testament
  The radical reformers press for believers’ baptism, and William Tyndale prints the New Testament in plain English.
• AD 1534
  The English Reformation
  Henry VIII breaks with Rome, and the Church of England begins the path that will produce the Anglican tradition.
• AD 1536
  Calvin’s Institutes and Geneva
  John Calvin systematizes Reformed theology and makes Geneva a center of the movement.
• 1545 to 1563
  The Council of Trent
  The Catholic Church answers the Reformation with its own reform, defining Catholic doctrine for centuries to come.
• AD 1611
  The King James Bible
  The King James Version is published and becomes the most influential English Bible in history.
• AD 1620
  The Pilgrims sail to America
  Seeking freedom to worship, they help plant a deeply Protestant culture in the New World.
• AD 1648
  The Peace of Westphalia
  The treaties end Europe’s wars of religion and reshape the relationship between church and state.

The thread through it all

Read the whole story and one thing becomes plain: through every century, every council and controversy, every rise and fall of empires, one Person holds it together. The church has been divided, persecuted, corrupted, and renewed, and yet it has never once disappeared, because it was never finally ours to keep. Jesus said he would build it, and he has.

Frequently asked questions

When did the Reformation begin?

It is usually dated to October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther posted his Ninety-Five Theses in Wittenberg, protesting the sale of indulgences. The movement spread quickly with the help of the printing press.

What are the five solas of the Reformation?

Sola gratia (grace alone), sola fide (faith alone), solus Christus (Christ alone), sola scriptura (Scripture alone), and soli Deo gloria (to the glory of God alone). They summarize the Reformers’ core convictions.

What was the Council of Trent?

The Council of Trent (1545 to 1563) was the Catholic Church’s response to the Reformation, often called the Counter-Reformation, defining Catholic doctrine and reforming church practice.